It's time to fix the broken bail bond system

Written by
Timothy Murray
Guest columnist

Every day in America, half a million people sit in local jails awaiting trial. They are there because they can't afford bail. Two of every three of these people are charged with nonviolent offenses and are simply waiting to face their accusers.

Meanwhile, well-publicized and well-off defendants like former International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn can make bail easily, no matter how high, and are released before court action. In effect, they have purchased their freedom until their trial begins.

The cost to local taxpayers to feed and house those who can't make bail is $9 billion a year. We could save those dollars, ease prison overcrowding and bring more justice to the entire system with some relatively simple reforms.

Nearly 50 years ago, then-Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy convened the country's first national conference on this issue, describing the pretrial justice and bail system in America as "unsafe, unfair and ineffective." Unfortunately, that description remains accurate today. This outdated and dangerous system benefits only the special-interest, for-profit bail bond industry. It favors those who have the money to obtain bail, regardless of how dangerous those people are.

Recently a group of prestigious criminal justice organizations, together with the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice, convened another national meeting on pretrial justice and bail reform. The 2011 conference examined the nation's progress toward a fair, safe and accountable system and sought to outline proven solutions.

States like Illinois and Kentucky banned for-profit bail bonds decades ago. Instead, they substituted a system that relies on family and community supervision for those charged with nonviolent offenses. This includes frequent contact with a supervising officer, mandatory assessments for substance abuse, and mental health and drug testing. The reforms also included simple court reminder programs so that nearly everyone -- 92 percent of those awaiting trial in Kentucky -- shows up in court to face their charges.

We need to fix the unjust pretrial system in which dangerous criminals who happen to be wealthy can purchase their freedom while nonviolent offenders must remain behind bars. We must move to a system based on danger to the public, not dollars. Judges must be empowered with the best possible tools to determine who should be held and who can be released with appropriate supervision pending trial.

Our local jails are increasingly overcrowded, at tremendous cost to our already-strapped local governments. Sensible reforms of state and local pretrial justice procedures should focus on safety while containing costs to the taxpayer.

Murray is executive director of the Pretrial Justice Institute, the nation's only nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring informed pretrial decision-making for safe communities through technical assistance, training and advocacy.

_________________
Steve Faircloth
A Way Out Bail Bonds
(220) 204-9733 Cell
NSIN# SF0105
LIC. #704058

Mr Murray's facts are skewed . . . he perhaps is taking lessons from some in DC

_________________


Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

If I am not mistaken he is in Washington. They are funded through grants from the U.S. DOJ and PTRS agencies throughout the country which in turn are funded by local, state and federal grants.

They were the ones that put on the June 2 - 4 symposium in which Eric Holder attended and spoke about, reforming the bail system.

As in, putting private bail out of business.

You are correct Tony

_________________
The Rose Investigations LLC
Collection Agency
Security & Investigations Consultant
Retired Private Investigator & Bail Enforcement
NAM VET 1969- 1975 US Army (RECON)
Office 260-220-3877
1-888-631-5520
Fax 260-456-6062

This is just more regurgitated story planting on the part of those who desire to push pretrial release methodology. Bail reform started as a private response, the Vera Project, privately funded, in NY, and not by Robert Kennedy. EVERY court system has the ability, and they use it regularly, to ROR defendants, therefore controlling jail populations. They have also increased drastically 10% to the court bails and unsecured personal bonds, profiting the court system and on the latter, allowing a penalty for a potential FTA. The court has both the authority and ability to regulate the jail population with or without commercial surety, all absent any input from pretrial services. My other issue, if you quote statistics, cite the source.

Scott

_________________
R.E. "Scott" MacLean III

"Leaders are like Eagles, you never see them in a flock, but one at a time"

Chesapeake Group Investigations, Inc.
Chesapeake Bail Bonds
877-574-0500
301-392-1100 (fax)
301-392-1900 (Office)

One court down.. Some of you know Woody Fox here in Columbus, ohio.



Good job, Woody.....

_________________
Steve Faircloth
A Way Out Bail Bonds
(220) 204-9733 Cell
NSIN# SF0105
LIC. #704058

Good Job Woody

_________________
The Rose Investigations LLC
Collection Agency
Security & Investigations Consultant
Retired Private Investigator & Bail Enforcement
NAM VET 1969- 1975 US Army (RECON)
Office 260-220-3877
1-888-631-5520
Fax 260-456-6062

SWEET ! Didn't you put something about this in the media section before when he filed ?
Darn straight this is a good job . . . it may be a case in which precedence is set for future cases (areas of the country)
Steve can you get the case # I for one would like to have it, same thing is happening here in a couple of Counties and when filed Judges simply dismiss it saying that the Statute states "must collect 10 % and leaves it at that".
It is actually more detailed but they then also bring into play "Civil Procedure" . . . so frustrating. Totally knocked "appeal bonds" out of play from District up to Circuit.

_________________


Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

Looks like a bleeding heart liberal-type article.

Here in Chicago, with our system, no one is looking for most of these folks. The police and sheriffs are understaffed, and unless your case gains public notoriety, it gets lost in the shuffle. Illinois needs a commercial bail bond system for what is arguably the largest composite court system in the U.S. (i.e. Cook County).

_________________
Andre J.W. Queen, Sr.
Licensed Private Detective 119-001554

Fidelity Security & Investigative Services, Inc.
Private Detective Agency 117-001551
Chicago, IL. 60641
BB: 773-940-9844
Office: 773-787-5577

LuVonda,

I'll call Woody tomorrow an see if I can get it....

_________________
Steve Faircloth
A Way Out Bail Bonds
(220) 204-9733 Cell
NSIN# SF0105
LIC. #704058